Stranger Things

Stranger things is indeed a strange TV show. Yet, it is extremely interesting. It is the type of show that you can geek out on: it has all the elements: monsters, an alternate universe, a secret laboratory tied to the government, and missing children.
The acting (especially Winona Ryder) if delivered in a lighter plot would be almost comedic, but it works well for the setting and dynamics of the show which is suspenseful and a bit dark.
It does have some whimsy to it though, and that comes with the group of main children characters: Mike, Lucas and Dustin. When their beloved friend Will, disappears in Mirkwood, a woodsy dark area, they try to re-trace his steps and wind upon a strange, and interesting young girl named Eleven. El takes a temporary abode in Mike's basement, and speaks in single words. Soon enough, the boys realize that El has supernatural powers. She can teleport objects with her mind, and perform telekinesis to channel sound waves to hear Will who it turns out, is in another dimension.
Mike's sister, Nancy gets involved when her friend disappears into this dimension in a similar manner, and Will's brother Jonathan, won't stand to give up the search for his younger brother. Nancy and Jonathan form an alliance, and so do Jody, Will's mom (Wynona Ryder) and the Chief Town Police officer (Jim) after Jim shows much empathy remembering the loss of his own daughter a few years earlier.
I won't give away how they try to access this alternate dimension and deal with what awaits them, but if you have read the second sentence of this review and were curious, then yes. There are monsters.
What ironically sets Stranger Things apart from your typical bunch of sci-fi dramas, is the way you grow to care for the main characters, within the very first episode. It's as though you know them, and you can feel their pain and loss. Will feels like your very own brother.

My major conclusion though is if you enjoyed E.T., Signs, and Arrival, then you will most certainly enjoy Stranger Things. It's sci-fi, drama and adventure all packed into one.